Tampa, Florida — An incident aboard a United Airlines flight to Tampa resulted in nine foreign-born people being removed from the airplane and left several passengers shaken. In fact, several thought the incident was serious enough that they asked to be booked on another flight.

At least 15 passengers who arrived in Tampa Monday on a United flight were supposed to be here Sunday night. However, the incident involving the nine men changed everything.

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John Luke, who was on the flight, says the nine men were seated throughout the airplane. Luke says he was told the men were of Pakistani descent and one man made a comment that apparently was “inappropriate” and made a flight attendant feel uncomfortable.

United Airlines spokesperson Megan McCarthy says at that point, the gate agent had a conversation with the men and they were asked to depart. But that’s not how Luke and other passengers saw it.